The Mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

The Mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates.  The great teacher inspires.
- William Arthur Ward

We all should be teachers in everything we do.  Whether it be to our kids, to the new guy or girl at the office, to the next door neighbor, or even the stranger on the street; we all should try to teach something to others. 

But teaching is more than just "telling", or even more than "explaining", and even more than "demonstrating"; true teaching is inspiring someone to learn.  True teaching can change behavior in wayward individuals; it can make someone's day a little brighter; it can even make someone's life better.

Imagine seeing the cranky person today (we all know who they are).  Instead of avoiding that person because they bring you down, imagine when you meet them, giving them a smile and a true compliment.  Maybe, just maybe, it will brighten their day and they in turn will not be so cranky - that is true teaching - inspiring!

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.
- Zig Ziglar

This quote is probably one of my all time favorites; in fact, it is the quote that got me interested in quotes.

A while back I heard a motivational speaker named Mark Leader speak at a real estate meeting I was at.  In reality, he did not say anything I had not heard before, he just said it a little different.  I thoroughly enjoyed his message and plan on attending a 3-day training seminar he is hosting in the future.

I asked several older agents what they thought; most said something like "He wasn't like all the other 'dog and pony' shows I've seen".  I realize there are a lot of motivational speakers, books, websites, blogs (this one included) and what not that one can have access to.  And it might even be overwhelming at times.  But, like Zig said here, it doesn't last forever.  In my case with Mark Leader, he said a couple things I already knew, but he "reminded" of it; that helped me.  You see, when I went through the previous training and was motivated, it didn't last. I needed it again. 

Zig compares it to bathing.  I worked 20-years in a jail, I dealt with people who did not take regular baths / showers.  Oh they may have taken a bath last week, but, TRUST ME, it didn't last, they needed another one! 

I write this daily quote blog for this exact reason.  To give everyone a little shot in the arm every day!

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit. - Aristotle

Ever wonder how the ones who "make it" in this world; how they did it?  It is quite simple; they are simply, repeatedly excellent.

That doesn't mean they do not make mistakes, that would make them perfect; but they are excellent.  They are excellent in their speaking, they are excellent in their thoughts, they are excellent in their deeds, they are excellent in their relationships, and they are excellent in business.

Anyone can hit excellence once, maybe even twice; but it only lasts if you make it a habit - being excellent every day.  When I was a kid, I used to listen to music; I was a big 80's hair band fan.  There were several "one hit wonders" that I enjoyed, but I don't remember most of them.  It was the bands that were consistently charting songs, they were "excellent" and continually put out albums (this was before the digital music age) that I remember.  Bands like:

Bon Jovi
Poison
Def Lepard
Van Halen
Aerosmith

You get the picture.

Make excellence a habit, something you do everyday in everything.  Excellence is a way of life, it is choosing to do right and be excellent in all walks of your life.  If you can master this thought, you too can be "excellent".  Simply make excellence a habit, not merely an act.

Life is Like Riding a Bicycle. To Keep Your Balance, You Must Keep Moving. - Albert Einstein

Nothing living, that quits moving ever gets better.  Keep moving forward, even when the challenges seem overwhelming.

A moving target is harder to hit than a moving target.  Remember those days going to a fair and playing that Old Western Shooting Gallery?  For a few dollars, you get to shoot a rifle at several different targets, racking up points for each hit.  Some of the targets were stationary while other targets were moving.  The stationary targets were never worth as many points as the moving targets; moving targets are harder to hit! 

Don't be stationary, keep moving!  Set a goal and work toward that goal.  Don't stop moving, keep going, even when the resistance seems to great.